City Cast Pittsburgh

Maybe you like IPAs or lagers. Maybe a seasonal or sour is more your taste. Or maybe you’re just in it for the lawn games. Trace Brewing’s Aadam Soorma is here to share his favorite breweries for fall, including spots to watch a game, take a hike, pet some pigs, and of course — have a great-tasting bevvie alongside it all.  This is the third in a three-part series on the best fall getaways in our region. Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The nights are longer and there’s a chill in the air… it’s almost Halloween! And that means scare season for local haunt actors Stacey Federoff and Dave Archer. They’re sharing their love of the holiday, which area haunts are worth a day trip from Pittsburgh, and how you and your friends can safely (and creepily?!) experience the frights and delights of their favorite “haunted” attractions. This is episode is the second in a three-part series on the best fall getaways in our region. For hard-core horror lovers: Chippewa Lake — east of Akron, Ohio (former slaughterhouse) Field of Screams — outside of Lancaster, PA, near Hershey Crawford School of Terror — Connellsville, PA Less scary, still fun: Rich’s Fright Farm — Smithfield PA in Fayette County Factory of Terror — Canton, Ohio (excellent themed haunts like Friday 13th/Valentine’s Day/St. Patrick’s Day, and there are bars inside the haunt) Quirkiest: Hopewell Windmill — Beaver County, PA (mini golf and ice cream) Freddy’s Haunt — Beaver County, PA (Stacey’s favorite for 90s feel) Kid-friendly: Haunted Hills Hayride — North Versailles, PA Castle Blood — Monessen, PA (theatrical vignettes in a former funeral home) Hobgoblin Hikes — Westmoreland County Parks Hallowboo at Idlewild — Ligonier, PA Kennywood Fall Fest — West Mifflin, PA ZooBoo at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium — Highland Park Boo Barn at Triple B Farms — Monongahela, PA Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s officially fall, which means leaf-peeping season is almost upon us. If you’re looking for outdoorsy autumn getaways, the City Cast Pittsburgh team has got you covered. Host Megan Harris, newsletter editor Francesca Dabecco, and producers Mallory Falk and Sophia Lo are here with our favorite trips within four hours of the ‘Burgh. This is episode is the first in a three-part series on the best fall getaways in our region. Our picks close to Pgh: McConnells Mill State Park (near Portersville) — Cheeseman Farm is also in this area Looking for a place to stay? Check out The Lodge at Water’s Edge Laurel Caverns/Barton Cave (Farmington) Find out more about cave tours with Pittsburgh Grotto Ohiopyle State Park Find out more about the Legends of Ohiopyle events this Friday (looking for the extra spooky version? Get your thrills and chills here) Harmony, PA  Check out the Sleepy Hollow Fest on Oct. 14 Our picks a little farther afield: Davis, WV Blackwater Falls State Park The Purple Fiddle for food, drinks, and live music If you want to venture a little farther south, check out New River Gorge, the nation’s newest national park PA Grand Canyon (Wellsboro, PA) Pine Creek Rail Trail Stargazing at Cherry Springs State Park (Coudersport, PA) Get a Night Sky Tour at this dark-sky certified spot You can also reserve a campsite there Kinzua Bridge State Park Keuka Lake, NY  Check out the Village of Penn Yan The Smoky Mountains map estimates that peak foliage hits Oct 9-23, depending on where you are in the state. Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2008, the city and its foundations made a promise to all Pittsburgh kids – if you attend class and get decent grades, we’ll help you pay for college or trade school. But last week, the officials behind those gifts told parents in a one-page letter that the money is almost out. We’re talking about why with journalist Mary Niederberger and James Fogarty, executive director of A+ Schools. For more background on the Pittsburgh Promise’s results and past fundraising efforts, check out Mary’s previous reporting for PublicSource. Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the Friday news roundup! Pittsburgh had on impact on the whole dang state when we elected a new representative this week; Pennsylvanians will be automatically registered to vote at the DMV; our five most recent former governors would love to open our primary elections; the “revolving door” for lawmakers to become lobbyists is an increasing problem in Harrisburg; and Gov. Josh Shapiro opened a text line for constituents — if you have an iPhone. We’re with Stephen Caruso of SpotlightPA and Kim Lyons, the new executive editor of the Pennsylvania Capitol-Star.  We love to cite our sources: Stephen did a great summation of the 21st House District race Kim shared the new motor voter law for The Pennsylvania Capitol-Star Stephen points out for SpotlightPA that PennDOT isn’t exactly set up to absorb the change SpotlightPA’s Kate Huangpu reported on PA’s most recent five governors' shared letter in support of open primaries You can text Gov. Josh Shapiro at 717-788-8990 through the app Community Current state law bars elected officials and employees from lobbying their previous workplaces for a year, and Stephen reports there’s a bipartisan bill to extend the ban to two years Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s harvest season, and if you’re looking to preserve your bounty, we’ve got some tips for you! Richard Kralj, a food safety educator at Penn State Extension, joins us to talk about why there’s a renewed interest in canning, the best ways to get started, and why you may not want to rely on your grandma’s preserved peach recipe. Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pittsburgh played a pivotal role in labor history, and we continue to innovate today. City Cast content director Wil Fulton discusses Pittsburgh’s vanguard approach to employee ownership with our sponsor, The Pennsylvania Center for Employee Ownership. He speaks with PA Center for Employee Ownership CEO Kevin McPhillips, and Erika Strassburger and Sara Innamorato, two members of the Center’s citywide task force. They discuss the Center’s mission to educate Pittsburgh on the benefits of employee ownership, not just for the employees but for business owners too.  Visit pghtaskforce.org to learn more about the taskforce and how employee ownership can benefit you!  Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know Pittsburgh is the backdrop for one of the most thrilling movies ever made? The Silence of the Lambs was mostly filmed around Pittsburgh in the early 1990s. When the house of the film’s skin-conscious serial killer, Buffalo Bill, went up for sale a few years ago, a fan bought it. Filmmaker Chris Rowan recreated parts of the set — including the infamous basement well — and converted the house into a “boutique accommodation and a cinematic destination.” City Cast got a special tour. **This conversation originally published October 13, 2022. Silence of the Lambs star Brooke Smith — who played the woman trapped in the basement well — is making a special appearance at Buffalo Bill’s House this Friday through Sunday. You can sign up here to meet Brooke and take a guided tour. Not free this weekend? Chris is offering guided tours through the end of October, and you can book an overnight stay at Buffalo Bill’s House all year round. Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did we just become best friends?! Making new connections as an adult in Pittsburgh can be really hard, but hobbies can help! Writer and City Cast Pittsburgh contributor Meg St-Esprit has a bunch of great ideas to help you find a fun new pastime, plus tips for breaking the ice among your soon-to-be best pals. Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

South of Schenley Park and just across the river from Page’s Dairy Mart, there’s blank plot of land — currently known as Hazelwood Green — that the city, its foundations, and developers have been dreaming about for a long time. It used to be a center of industry, one of dozens of steel-making centers along our waterways. But what it should become next is still up for debate. PublicSource reporters Emma Folts and Eric Jankiewicz join us to discuss plans to transform the site from “Steel Valley” into “Bio Valley,” and concerns about whether Hazelwood residents will benefit from new development. You can read their reporting here. Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the Friday news roundup! Pittsburgh is getting a trans-focused fertility clinic, and City Council passed a pair of bills to protect trans health — though it’s not clear how much power the city really has. The new COVID boosters are available and finally hitting shelves in Pittsburgh. Plus, neighbors who are still anxious about plans to build condos at the old Irish Centre site may have an unlikely hero in Phipps Conservatory. We love to cite our sources! A trans-focused fertility clinic is coming to Pittsburgh City Council passed two ordinances to make Pittsburgh a sanctuary city for gender-affirming health care NPR answered common questions about the latest COVID booster You can find places to get a free COVID vaccine under the CDC’s Bridge Access Program Phipps Conservatory has an alternative plan for the Irish Centre site We talked to Trib reporter Ryan Deto about the controversy around the current Irish Centre plan Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pittsburgh homes are a mixed bag — some are lavish and others very lived in. Sisters Hope Perri and Annie Perri Colehave made a study of neighborly nebbiness with their hyper-popular Instagram account @HousesofPittsburgh, and they’re taking us behind the scenes on how they take a neighborhood home tour, their approach to content creation, and tips and tricks for making the most of any home-scouting trip in the Burgh. Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week 67 years ago, President Dwight D. Eisenhower launched the sister cities program, and in the decades since, Pittsburgh has become an especially popular international partner. How do these diplomatic hook-ups happen, who greenlights the match, and how did Pittsburgh end up with so many? Kathy Risko, director of the Sister Cities Association of Pittsburgh, says some of it is personality and a lot comes back to steel. Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Andrew Carnegie started opening libraries in southwest Pennsylvania in the 1890s, he wanted to bring books and knowledge to everyone — not just those who could afford to pay. Now libraries are taking that spirit beyond the printed word, offering everything from power tools to ukuleles to genealogy databases. We’re exploring the unique collections available for you to check out at local libraries.  **This conversation originally published May 30, 2023. Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labor Day is over and Pittsburghers are in full-fall mode — buying their Halloween candy and getting their pumpkin spice fix, even if it’s still best served over ice. But the city has its eye even further out, because officials are hunting now for our next enormous Christmas tree. Bobby Cherry, the local writer behind itsChristmas365.com, shares how Public Works anoints its annual evergreen, plus his top tips for holiday events you may want to plan for in advance.  Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the Friday news roundup! Kenny Pickett’s getting paid to look at new sofas and Cutch’s place with Pittsburgh may be in the past. We’ve got a snapshot of host Megan Harris’ hot sports goss, plus an update on the state of the South Side now that the summer is unofficially over and producer Sophia Lo’s suggestions for the best ways to enjoy RAD Days over the next few weeks. We love to cite our sources:  The Trib covered Carson City Saloon’s plan to reopen  Kiley Koscinski has been covering various approaches to public safety on the South Side for WESA  Check out the calendar of free events and book your tickets for RAD Days, which run from September 8 to October 17 Listen to our interview with police chief Larry Scirotto, where he shares his coming out story, and our follow-up conversation with reporter Jordana Rosenfeld, where she looks at whether Scirotto’s gay identity matters to Pgh’s queer community Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever tried a pawpaw? The fruit is ripe for tasting this time of year, and they grow right in our backyard, in our forests, and near our waterways. Hey Pittsburgh editor Francesca Dabecco is here to share some history of this native tree, plus some tips and tricks for finding or foraging its tropical flavor. We love to cite our sources! Become a pawpaw nerd like Francesca and read “Pawpaw, In Search of American’s Forgotten Fruit,” by Pittsburgh author Andrew Moore. Learn about pawpaw’s Indigenous roots with The Allegheny Front Here’s a YouTube guide for how to find pawpaws in the wild Pittsburgh Reddit suggested a bunch of spots to find them in Pgh, but we have not vetted them! Taste and celebrate at these regional events: Grow Pittsburgh’s Paw Paw Parties at Garden Dreams in Wilkinsburg - 9/12 & 9/19 8th Annual Paw Paw Festival in Fredrick, MD 9/16 Ohio Pawpaw Festival in Albany 9/15 - 9/17 York County’s 19th Annual Pawpaw Fest 9/23-9/24 2023 WV Pawpaw Festival at WVU Core Arboretum - 9/30 Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The federal government is giving away billions of dollars to build hydrogen hubs across the country, and Pennsylvania lawmakers want in. They’re excited about hydrogen as a cleaner energy source than fossil fuels — and about the potential for new, well-paying jobs throughout the Commonwealth. But some environmental advocates worry that without the right regulations in place, these hydrogen hubs won’t actually be as environmentally-friendly as they seem.  Kate Huangpu, government reporter for Spotlight PA, joins us to break it all down. Find her ongoing coverage of our state’s bid for hydrogen hubs here. Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Almost a decade after it was created, Pittsburgh’s land bank made its first few sales this summer. Why did the land bank take so long to get off the ground, and does this portend a more productive future? Jon Moss, co-editor of the Pittsburgh Union Progress, shares the renewed hopes and continued challenges for the city’s grandest residential housing experiment. Find Jon’s reporting on the land bank here. He and others remain on strike from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Act 47 is Pennsylvania’s state oversight program to help financially distressed municipalities, but thankfully, Pittsburgh got out of Act 47 in 2018. Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the Friday news roundup! Many months after a study found we’re short on bathrooms downtown, city officials think they’ve finally found a solution — and they also want city residents to creatively take care of their deer problem. Plus, there’s a viral video floating around that asks a question Penn State fans should be very, very familiar with.  We love to cite our sources! Pittsburgh has a new public restroom proposal for Downtown We talked about the lack of Downtown restrooms on the podcast last year Officials are proposing a controlled bowhunting pilot program in Frick and Riverview parks ahead of the fall hunting season Pennsylvania partners with Hunters Sharing the Harvest to coordinate donations to food banks. You have to use an approved meat processor, so check out their local options in advance. The Penn State Nittany Lion mascot took some heat in comedian Josh Mancuso’s latest spoof video. And, we think, for good reason. Check out the mascot vs the real animal Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices